


1:37 A.M.

by Emejig16



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst and Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-06 23:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12828693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emejig16/pseuds/Emejig16
Summary: Dan goes for a night drive and finds that his car isn’t the only thing breaking down.





	1:37 A.M.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is heavily influenced by the songs Car Radio and Fake You Out both by 21 Pilots.

White knuckles grip the leather steering wheel as the faint yellow lights of the freeway zip past him. It’s almost eerie how few cars there are out on the road at half past one in the morning, but then again where would anyone be going this late? Late night shifts were already in session and the early morning commuters wouldn’t be out for at least another two hours.  
  
To be honest Dan wasn’t sure what he was doing in his car at this out late either. He’d been left home alone for the week and the confinements of those beige colored walls, deafening absence and overwhelming responsibility, with virtually no outlet since six hours of high level classes and important tests could not be considered a break.  
  
He just needed to get out of his constricting room, where the ceiling seemed to be caving in and the posters that plastered his walls were no longer his friend but rather his taunters. From his window the night air called him, begging him to come on a brief journey to nowhere, where it was still and open.   
  
It seemed as though a drive was to be his only escape.  
  
The soft hum of the engine was the only thing filling his ears, refusing to taint the serenity of night. Why didn’t he do this more often? Night drives were so relaxing. Dan closed his eyes momentarily, letting the car move him as he pressed down harder on the gas.

How fast he was going didn’t matter; how far he was going did. Honestly, he was just following the route he knew, making sure not to go too far and then coming back down the opposite way after turning around. It was astonishing how the seemingly straight lines almost bent and flowed in a sinusoid.

As he swerved himself back into the lane he was supposed to be, he supposed maybe he shouldn’t be operating this car at such a late hour, when his brain was preoccupied with everything but driving. The fact this is hands were on the wheel meant nothing at all. Dan had no control over the car and he couldn’t even pretend like he did.

Out on the highway his mind could roam free, far away from what he was supposed to confined to. An area where he could think his lofty thoughts, be a little reckless and silly and not the high level “gifted” student. When he drove if he made a slight error he could fix it on his own without two parents and seven different professors silently screaming that he was never going to make it now and that he’d wasted all of this time with the books and studying.

Of course, both infractions whether the tires or a pen were equally as dangerous but one was actually equivalent to accidentally choosing to use college ruled paper instead of wide ruled–utterly insignificant. As to which Dan thought that was, well that depended on the kind of mood he was in.  

Living was far too exhausting, and the unknown far too terrifying for a kid of his background. There were people dying, battling serious mental illnesses, and he was freaking out because of a little stress and school pressure and that piano thing. How pathetic; he was so selfish and whiny. He needed to get over himself that’s all he had to do.   
  
Dan frowned as the engine started to cough, lurching the car to an alarming halt. The only thing he could think to do was try to and pull over to the shoulder. Why didn’t he check the petrol level, why didn’t he–The car jerked once more and now he was stuck.

He removed his hands from the wheel, letting out a sigh as his head fell back against the seat. He was stranded on the road at almost two am while his parents were out of town. Great just great.

This was a stupid idea from the start, why did he think driving this late at night was going to be a good idea. He could have literally just walked around the block, but no it wouldn’t have given him the same rush driving with all the windows down would have. The cool air wouldn’t have hit him from all sides as he rolled down empty streets. And this wasn’t fair, he wasn’t even that far from home right now.

Dan slammed his hands on the steering wheel and slapped his palms against the dashboard repeatedly. He tore his hands away and shoved them forcefully through his knotted hair. His eyes burned and throat closed, mouth dry and lips trembling.

Why was he crying, he had nothing to cry about. Nothing had ever happened to him: he was a top of the class student, came from a well-off family with successful parents and just happened to spend most of his time on his own. What were these selfish, spoiled first world problem tears flowing like hydrochloric acid, exposing his flesh and weak exterior.

He fumbled around his pockets for his phone, his hands shaking as he called the only person who was going to be able to one: understand him when he was like this, and two: bring him some petrol so he could at least make it to a station.

“Hello? Dan? Why are you calling me at past two in the morning,” a groggy, but sweet voice responded.

Dan instantly smiled as more tears rolled down his cheeks. “Phil..Phil..I’m..I am…I uh,” he stuttered.

“Okay, okay relax. Deep breath Dan,” Phil said soothingly from the other side of the line.

“I’m…stuck,” Dan mumbled vaguely.

“Stuck? Stuck where?”

“Somewhere close to fifteenth street.”

“Wait are you driving right now?”

“No, no…I was but not anymore….my car is empty.”

“Oh Dan, don’t worry I’m coming to get you.”

“Wait won’t you get in trouble?”

“No, my parents are in Manchester for the weekend and I’m pretty sure Martin is at his girlfriend’s place for the night.”

“Okay, I’m sorry. Thank you.”

“Don’t be.”

Dan sat in his car, gnawing at his already short nails to pass the time. He’d stopped crying for the time being, but he could still feel them damming up behind his eyes. He sighed again, alone with his thoughts until Phil pulled up about fifteen long minutes later. He nearly had a heart attack when he tapped on his window, even though he’d texted him literally a minute before.

Dan got out of his car and threw his arms around Phil, squeezing him tightly trying to maybe take some of the more warm emotions from Phil, drawing them into himself.  

“Oh my god thank you so much,” Dan mumbled.

“No problem. Let me just use this thing really quick,” Phil said, holding up the petrol canister.  

“Right yeah, thanks again,” Dan smiled and stepped to the side so Phil could pour the petrol into his car.

The two drove in tandem to the station. When Dan got out of his car, he was grateful that Phil got out of his car and stood with him. Phil draped his arm around his shoulder, swaying the two of them slightly.

“Isn’t kind of cold out here?” Phil commented.

“Yeah, but I like it when it’s like this,” Dan replied, resting his head on Phil’s shoulder.

“Really? Well, I suppose that’s why you went for a drive huh?” Phil replied with a chuckle, causing Dan to push a smile through his dead-bolted lips and laugh.

Once Dan had filled up his car, the two of them drove back to Dan’s place. Phil followed him just to take sure he got there safely. Both Dan and Phil were standing outside of their cars, shuffling awkwardly in the front of his house.

“I’m sorry for making you come out so late,” Dan murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It’s okay. But if you don’t mind me asking, what were you doing out so late?” Phil asked.

“I was–” Dan started before he started crying again. He leaned into Phil when he’d wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his shoulder soothingly.

“Okay, here let’s go back to my house. There is no use in you staying here all by yourself since it seems like this was the place you were trying to escape,” Phil said reassuringly as he walked the two of them to his car.

Even during the short drive to Phil’s house, Dan seemed disconnected and way too involved with his thoughts. His arms were crossed and he was looking out the window, sniffling softly. When they finally got to the house and were inside, Phil followed Dan straight to his room, watching as he promptly flopped down on his bed.

Phil followed him and laid on his side just waiting for Dan whenever he was ready. He’d stare at the ceiling until the sun came up if he had to.

“Do you ever feel like you want to get away?” Dan mused. “Just get in the car and go…far….far away from it all,” he continued closing his eyes.

“I suppose,” Phil replied, thinking the words over.

“I’m feeling that way.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes, and for no good reason. Like I don’t know how to explain it but everything just came crashing down, or rather I guess I came crashing down. I had a mini meltdown,” Dan explained, rolling over to face Phil. “I feel like I’m complaining about nothing.”

“But you aren’t,” Phil replied, wrapping his arms around Dan and pulling his body into his. He felt the way Dan melted into his chest with another heavy sigh. “I’m not just saying that either. It’s honestly so hard to keep up. You’re sleep deprived as it is, constantly under the pressure of needing to stay among the top of your class…it’s stressful. More so than you can deal with sometimes.”

“I know, but it’s so dumb.”

“Shhh, no it’s not,” Phil countered, rubbing little circles in Dan’s back again.

“Kind of is.”

“Dan–”

“I’m tired. Tired of pretending to be someone who I can be in every waking moment. I wish to just be free among the stars where no one cares what I do, but rather what I have to think and what beautiful nonsense it all is.”

“Well, you have one person who will always want to listen to you, even when you’re pondering. Don’t ever think with me Dan, just let go. I’ll always listen even if you’re just talking about toast.”

Dan yawned, “Okay, maybe not now cause I’m kind of tired.”

“Same,” Phil replied, as Dan turned over, becoming his little spoon. He chuckled, “I thought I was little spoon?”

“Not tonight,” Dan mumbled.

Phil rested his head against the side of Dan’s, his forehead resting on Dan’s cheek. “One more thing Dan, never stop thinking.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written and posted in March 2015.


End file.
